The Thai sports newspaper Siam Sport published an article titled, “Gathering Vietnamese Players Abroad, U22 Vietnam Ready to Compete for SEA Games Championship.” The article highlights that while Vietnam has naturalized player Nguyen Xuan Son, there are many other interesting Vietnamese players abroad.
Zan Nguyen stands at an impressive height of 1.9 meters (Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Club).
Siam Sport points out four Vietnamese players who could potentially represent the U22 Vietnam team at the 2025 SEA Games.
First is Zan Nguyen, a 1.9-meter tall American-Vietnamese center-back playing for Ho Chi Minh City in the V-League. Siam Sport comments, “Vietnam’s national team already boasts several fiery players who aren’t afraid of physical confrontations. However, the arrival of Zan Nguyen could change this trend.”
With his dual American-Vietnamese heritage, Zan Nguyen plays with a sophisticated style, not overly flamboyant. If he can adapt to the rigors of the V-League, Zan Nguyen could become a future cornerstone of the national team.
Second is Aymeric Faurand-Tournaire, a 2004-born forward playing for Laval in France’s second division. Siam Sport notes, “This young talent was previously part of Brest and secured his first professional contract with Laval. He made his debut for the first team in January 2024. Aymeric needs to compete for a starting position but, with continued good form, he could have a promising career.”
Next are Viktor Le, born in 2003 with Vietnamese-Russian heritage, and Andrej Nguyen An Khanh, born in 2005 with Vietnamese-Czech roots. Both have been frequently mentioned in recent times.
Aymeric Faurand-Tournaire is a notable Vietnamese player (Photo: Brest).
Viktor Le plays for Ha Tinh Club and holds Vietnamese citizenship, ready to represent the national team. Andrej Nguyen An Khanh plays for Trinec in the Czech Republic’s third division. He was previously called up by Coach Troussier for the U22 Vietnam team but hasn’t seen action yet. Both are strong options as attacking midfielders.
Additionally, Siam Sport mentions two more potential additions to the national team in the near future: Jason Quang Vinh Pendant and Nguyen Ba Khoi.
Jason Quang Vinh Pendant was trained in France and played in its second division for several years. He also had a stint with New York Red Bulls in the United States. Currently, the left-wing defender plays for the Police Academy Club in Vietnam.
Nguyen Ba Khoi, of Vietnamese-Australian descent, previously played for Brinje Grosuplje in Slovenia. He is now a free agent and may soon join a club in Vietnam.
